Aspire CV axle removal

[FestYboy]

Tom, update on the protege in our shop: burned (blue wrench drill) a hole and attached slide hammer to inner cup and went to town... it came out eventualy but put up a good fight till it just gave up and almose fell out. turns out that the circlip was stretched and was hanging up on the splines of the spider gear.

i vote for not beating around the bush and get at it with heavy equiptment.

[TominMO]

There's supposed to be a thin wire circlip holding the inner joint together if you have the 6 ball type. But it wouldn't take much force to pop it out of it's groove. My bare cups are still in my trans and I can't get them out. I'll be reassembling them where they sit. Hope that the seals weren't ruined.

Right, the thin wire circlip is what I had expected to see in there. Looks like we're in the same boat.

[georgeb]

There's supposed to be a thin wire circlip holding the inner joint together if you have the 6 ball type. But it wouldn't take much force to pop it out of it's groove. My bare cups are still in my trans and I can't get them out. I'll be reassembling them where they sit. Hope that the seals weren't ruined.

[zoom zoom]

^.^ if there is supposed to be one on the cv joints i didn't have it when i yanked my axels out of the cups either!

azone has a nice core charge for the old cvs/axel, no matter what shape they're in! just go rent a pull hammer and drill a hole in the inner cup after you clean the grease out.. yank that little bstrd out! takes a ton of elbow grease tho, if you know any teenage boys, now would be the time to put em to work!

[TominMO]

the circlip thing your referring to is actually inside the transmission on the end of the axel, it keeps the axel from popping out of the transmission.. the only thing holding the cv's together is gravity and the lca pinning the steering knuckle back against the frame/car.. i'll try to notepad draw you a picture lol..

Yeah, I know about the one inside the transmission. I am referring to the much larger one that should be inside the cup on the inner CV joint. There is a groove there for one, but no clip. But frankly i must admit that I am not sure why there needs to be one, since the axle can only travel so far when it is attached to the tranny and the knuckle. I have seen them inside the axles on other cars tho, like my old Subaru.

[zoom zoom]

the circlip thing your referring to is actually inside the transmission on the end of the axel, it keeps the axel from popping out of the transmission.. the only thing holding the cv's together is gravity and the lca pinning the steering knuckle back against the frame/car.. i'll try to notepad draw you a picture lol..

it's a really really rough sketch, but it's my understanding of the driveaxel..

[TominMO]

OK, update time. Wait, gotta feed cat.

Ok, I'm back. Went out, detached axle from knuckle, and pulled on the axle shaft with my hands. The inner CV boot immediately stretched, and I could tell the bearings in there were now out of the cup. Pushed it back in, then undid the clip on the large end of the boot. Pulled boot off, cleaned old grease out of the cup and off the bearings. Turns out there is no circlip holding the bearings in the cup!

I then tried removing the old cup as before--prybar, BFH, etc. Nothing doing. Interestingly, the grease in the outer boot was black and thick, like grease oughta be; the grease in the inner boot was runny and milk-chocolaty in color. And the inner boot was still intact, while the outer one is torn.

Plan C: hope I didn't FUBAR* the tranny seal; take the old boot and bearings from the new CV axle's cup and install the new axle onto the old cup; reassemble.

Plan D: get a slide hammer and go for it. This will involve drilling two holes in the old cup to attach something that I can attach the slide hammer to. Much more work.

God's smitin' me good on this one.....


* F***** Up Beyond All Repair

[TominMO]

No progress on the axle removal?

See post #25 above. Gonna get to it this morning.

[Zanzer]

Dont let that 50 cent circlip beat ya Zanzer!

NEVER!!!!

I've only had 2 bad ones so far. Luckily both were in transmissions where the trans was being removed anyway and were easier to work with once the trans was out of the car. One was a hinky circlip and the other one I actually bolted the trans to my metal welding table via the bellhousing. That made it way easier to pry on the axle :mrgreen:

Also, I just remembered that both problem axles were driver's side. Coincidence?

[Pu241]

Thanks for the extra tips, you two!

No progress on the axle removal?

[TominMO]

Thanks for the extra tips, you two!

[sc72]

stubborn axle

I think God is pissed at me because I don't believe in Him.

Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor.

OK, i have removed axles both ways, try pushing the axle all the way in, firmly grab it, yank and twist left, then right, then back left, this usally gets the clip to reseat and release the axle. Good luck

[nitrofarm]

Gonna get on it tmw morning. Was consulting last night with Dr. Don Dax, superchemist/crimefighter extraordinaire, who came up with a method of using the hub/knuckle itself as a slide hammer. If it is successful, I'll report so and how I did it.

You just want to be carefull that way cuz you can start making metal shavings in the tranny. Try grabbing the knuckle and bracing your feet. Pull like crazy while someone also hits and also prys on the cup.... Dont let that 50 cent circlip beat ya Zanzer ! Good luck :headbang:

[TominMO]

Gonna get on it tmw morning. Was consulting last night with Dr. Don Dax, superchemist/crimefighter extraordinaire, who came up with a method of using the hub/knuckle itself as a slide hammer. If it is successful, I'll report so and how I did it.

[mikeand]

I used a prybar and put tension on the inner housing and the tranny. Then used the light repeated tapping with a hammer and pop goes the axle. No effort or swore arms.